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With the NHL trade deadline days away and the Pittsburgh Penguins taking on their Western Conference reflection in the Chicago Blackhawks tonight at Soldier Field, how could any Pens fan not be lousy with excitement? The buzz regarding the outdoor game is self-explanatory, but we'll explain it anyway (makes for a better read). Tonight will be the Pens NHL leading third outdoor appearance and a showdown between two of the best hockey clubs in the last three years. Plus, it'll be snowing and super cold and Chicago's one heck of a sports town. Excitement there is understandable, but the trade deadline?

Well, that's Penguins general manager Ray Shero's time to shine. And boy how does he shine. But despite his amazing past deadline performances (enjoying Go-Go Dallas?), this year could be the one where Shero tugs the reins a bit. At least that's how it was looking two days ago. When Vancouver Canucks center/right winger Ryan Kesler spoke up about wanting a exit from the Northwest, Shero's ears perked up.

This is not the 2013-2014 season Paul Martin and the Pittsburgh Penguins drew up. After three painfully unproductive years, Martin started earning that hefty $5 million dollars a year contact last season. Okay, it was only 48 games long and he played in 34 of them, but Martin scored more goals (6) and had his highest plus/minus rating (plus-14) in his Penguins career. His game was also defensively streamlined. Yeah, things were looking up for Martin this year.

Then boom went the dynamite . . . or rather the bones in Martin's leg and hand.

Fresh off hustling back from a broken tibia he suffered in November, Martin has broken his hand and will look to be out for possibly the remainder of the season. The outlook of his return for the playoffs is, well iffy. Injuries are nothing new for the Penguins and they'll bounce back from this like the all the others. Simon Despres or Brian Dumoulin? Doesn't matter. Martin only hand two goals and ten assists anyway. That's not massive production that needs replaced. The Pens will survive Martin's busted hand. But will Martin?

Wednesday was a really difficult day for Pittsburgh fans on all fronts. The Pirates lost starting pitcher A.J. Burnett to the Philadelphia Phillies, the Pitt Panthers were in perfect shape to upset undefeated Syracuse on the hardwood before Tyler Ennis hit a game-winning 35-footer at the buzzer, and while Pascal Dupuis underwent successful surgery to repair a torn ACL, it was just another reminder that he will be out for the entire regular season and playoffs.

Dupuis underwent surgery seven weeks after suffering the injury during a 5-0 loss against the Ottawa Senators on December 23.

Penguins Executive Vice President and General Manager Ray Shero announced the news Wednesday afternoon via the team's website.

He is expected to be healthy for the start of the 2014-15 season. We at Penguins 101 would like to wish Dupuis our best wishes and a fast recovery.

When the Canadian Olympic hockey team released their final roster, it was no surprise that Chris Kunitz was selected to play alongside Sidney Crosby; however, one question was left to be answered: who would play on the right side?

On Monday morning, that question was answered.

At Team Canada's practice, Jeff Carter of the Los Angeles Kings was the one playing alongside the two Penguins forwards. Crosby and Kunitz, who have combined for 133 points in 58 games this season, should have no issues adjusting to playing with the 6-foot-4 power forward.

Carter brings a dynamic style to the Crosby-Kunitz connection that has made Brian Gibbons and Pascal Dupuis look like NHL All-Stars at times. His size adds a grittiness factor to the line and will allow Crosby to be more aggressive in the offensive zone knowing that Carter will be winning a lot of battles in the corners. Carter has mainly played center for the Kings, but adjusting from center to wing is much easier than the other way around.

This has not been Kris Letang's year. The Pittsburgh Penguins talented offensive defenseman has been placed on IR twice and has not produced to his capacity (18 points in 34 games). But those woes mean nothing compared to the team's announcement today. After missing the last four games, it was revealed that Kris Letang has suffered a stroke and will miss at least six weeks. It will most certainly be more and has a outside chance of being a career ender.

Penguins general manager Ray Shero explained, "Kris had one brief episode of dizziness and nausea last week. We held him out of the Los Angeles game Thursday night, and when he continued to feel ill, tests conducted in Phoenix on Saturday gave us the first indication of his condition. Further testing then was conducted when he returned to Pittsburgh, and he continued to undergo a battery of tests here this week.”

Head coach Dan Bylsma said, "My conversations over the last three days with Kris haven’t had much to do with the power play, that’s for certain. More over just concern for Kris the person and his health and where he’s at, not even in his career, just where he’s at in a health standpoint.”